In 2019, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office intervened to prevent Han Dong from sitting on a House of Commons committee investigating Canada’s relations with China. This intervention was based on irregularities related to Dong’s nomination as the Liberal candidate for Don Valley North, including allegations that Chinese diplomatic officials influenced international students to support Dong and that people were bused in to coerce support for Dong at the nomination meeting. Despite denying wrongdoing, Dong resigned from the Liberal caucus in 2023 and is currently an independent MP. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) had briefed senior Liberal officials about the concerns regarding Dong’s nomination during the 2019 election.
Documents released by the commission show that after the 2019 election, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) was briefed about the intelligence related to Dong, leading to concerns about his engagement with the People’s Republic of China. Despite lacking sufficient information to remove Dong as a Liberal MP, the PMO decided not to appoint him to the Canada-China Committee in December 2019 due to the concerns raised. Additionally, Dong was not considered for a cabinet or parliamentary secretary role after the election. There were discussions between intelligence services and the PMO regarding Dong, with differences of opinion between intelligence agencies and political professionals highlighted during the probe into foreign interference in Canada.
The issue of distinguishing between normal diplomatic behavior and foreign interference has been a central theme in the investigation. Intelligence agencies and political veterans often have conflicting perspectives when it comes to identifying potential interference by foreign entities. While collecting information about influential figures in Canada is a common practice for foreign countries, the line between gathering information for policy purposes and for leverage or blackmail is not always clear. Political figures like Dong are expected to interact with diplomats and officials from other countries, but concerns arise when these interactions cross into inappropriate or covert actions.
As the investigation continues, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc stated that he will wait for the final report from the inquiry before making a recommendation to Trudeau regarding Dong’s future with the federal Liberals. Trudeau is scheduled to testify at the commission, and the final report is expected to be released by the end of the year. The ongoing discussion around Dong’s ties to the People’s Republic of China and potential foreign interference underscores the complexities of managing relationships with foreign governments while safeguarding against undue influence. The case of Han Dong and the actions taken by the PMO reveal the challenges faced by political leaders in navigating these intricate diplomatic issues.
